2023 Local Elections

New Era Colorado is turning out young people in our five regional hubs, four of which have municipal elections on Nov. 7: Fort Collins, Boulder, Aurora, and Pueblo.

Where do the candidates stand on young people’s issues? How do the ballot measures support young people’s priorities? 

As the leading voice for young people in Colorado politics, New Era Colorado consistently turns out young people to engage in our local elections. That’s why we sent a candidate survey, based on the Youth Agenda, to all candidates in select races in our regional hubs to see where they stand on the issues that matter to us with simple “yes” or “no” questions. We sent the questionnaire to equip young people with the information they need to find out where each candidate stands on Youth Agenda issues like reproductive rights, housing affordability, and environmental justice. 

This fall, you’re not just voting on the candidates. There are a number of ballot measures that impact young people’s political present and future. See where the candidates in each region stand on the issues and New Era’s stance on the ballot measures that matter for young people: 

Aurora

• Where do the mayoral candidates (Mike Coffman, Juan Marcano, Jeffrey Sanford) stand on Youth Agenda issues? 

Boulder

• Where do the mayoral candidates (Aaron Brockett, Nicole Speer, Bob Yates, Paul Tweedlie) and the City Council At-Large candidates (Taishya Adams, Silas Atkins, Terri Brncic, Jacques Decalo, Waylon Lewis, Tina Marquis, Aaron Neyer, Jennifer Robins, Ryan Schuchard, Tara Winer) stand on Youth Agenda issues? 
• What’s New Era’s stance on the ballot measures that impact young people?
  • Ballot Measure 302 Safe Zones 4 Kids
    • Ballot Measure 302 further criminalizes homelessness in the City of Boulder by directing police to prioritize removing tents, propane tanks, and other housing structures within 50 feet of any sidewalk and 500 feet of schools.
    • We’re a NO because 302 because it dehumanizes and pushes unhoused people out of the city.

Fort Collins

• Where do the City Council District 4 candidates (Shirley Peel, Melanie Potyondy) and the City Council District 6 candidates (Alexander Adams, Emily Francis) stand on Youth Agenda issues? 
• What’s New Era’s stance on the ballot measures that impact young people?
  • • Amendment NO. 1: City Council Nominee Felony Records
      • Amendment NO. 1 would update Fort Collins charter with the state constitution to allow people with a past felony conviction to run for city council.
      • We’re a YES because people with a past felony conviction deserve to have their rights reinstated, including the opportunity to run for office.
    • Ballot Issue NO. 2 Increase Property Tax for Affordable Housing
      • Ballot Issue NO. 2 would implement a property tax in Fort Collins, with the collected revenue to be used for affordable housing projects.
      • We’re a YES because Fort Collins needs to prioritize building more affordable housing to address the growing population of Coloradans who can not afford to live there. 

Pueblo

• Where do the mayoral candidates (Larry Atencio, Tom Croshal, Dennis Flores, Nick Gradisar, Heather Graham, Regina Maestri, Chris Nicoll, Randy Thurston, Deryk Trujillo) and City Council District 2 candidates (Tom Carrigan, Samuel Hernandez Jr., Joe Latino, Gerarld Pete Madrid, Steven Rodriguez) candidates stand on Youth Agenda issues? 

Want to know more about who backs the candidates on the ballot? Check out the Progressive Voters Guide from our friends at Progress Now Colorado. 

The 2023 Aurora municipal election is a coordinated election between the Adams, Arapahoe, and Douglas county clerks. This means that if you’re an Aurora voter who wants to vote in person or register to vote after Oct. 30, you will need to go to a Voter Service Center in your county. Find your nearest Voter Service Center by going to the Adams, Arapahoe, or Douglas county clerk’s website. Voters can still drop off their ballot at any drop box location in the state through 7 p.m. on Election Day. 

This year, the ballot in Boulder will look different! In 2020, voters passed the “Our Mayor, Our Choice”, which changed how the mayor is elected. Now, the city of Boulder will elect its mayor through ranked choice voting. But what is ranked choice voting and why does it matter?

To be eligible to vote in Colorado, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be 18 years old or older by Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 7)
• Live in Colorado at least 22 days before Election Day (Monday, Oct. 16)

As of July 2019, if you are serving a sentence of parole, you may register to vote and vote in Colorado. For more information about voting with convictions, please visit VotingWithConviction.org.

You have all the options for how to vote: You can mail your ballot back, drop it off, or vote in person.

Ballots begin to be mailed out to registered voters on Monday, Oct. 16. To receive a ballot in the mail, register to vote or update your registration online by Monday, Oct. 30. You can also check your registration status if you’re not sure!

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO REGISTER TO VOTE: Take care of it online by Mon. Oct. 30 to receive a ballot in the mail, or take care of it in person at a Voter Service Center, starting on Mon. Oct. 30, through 7 p.m. on Election Day (Nov. 7).

You can visit any Voter Service Center in the county where you live to vote, register to vote/ update your registration, obtain a replacement ballot, or solve any election-related issue. You must bring a valid ID with you to vote in person; yes, Colorado student IDs are accepted! 

Voter Service Centers will open on Monday, Oct. 30. Remember: be in line by 7 p.m. on Election Day! Find a location near you.

You can drop your ballot off at any drop box or Voter Service Center in the state by 7 p.m. on Election Day! Remember: be in line by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 7! Find a location near you.

You may be required to enclose a photocopy of an acceptable ID; check your ballot instructions and check out the list of acceptable IDs below!

If you are voting by mail, we recommend that you put your ballot in the mailbox no later than Mon. October 30 to ensure it’s received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Use two stamps! After Monday, Oct. 30, use a drop box or go vote in person.

You may be required to enclose a photocopy of an acceptable ID; check your ballot instructions and check out the list of acceptable IDs below! 

via JustVoteColorado.org*

Digital IDs can now be used for voting. Any officially accepted form of ID can be provided digitally, including digital student IDs. Other accepted IDs include: 

• A valid Colorado driver’s license or valid identification card issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue. (Note: documents issued to not lawfully present and temporarily lawfully present individuals under Part 5 of Article 2 of Title 42, C.R.S. are not acceptable forms of identification.)
• A valid U.S. passport.
• A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. government or of Colorado, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of Colorado.
• A valid pilot’s license issued by the federal aviation administration or other authorized agency of the U.S.
• A valid U.S. military identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector.
• A copy of a current (within the last 60 days) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector.
• A Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaskan Native Blood.
• A valid Medicare or Medicaid card issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
• A certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate for the elector.
• Certified documentation of naturalization.
• A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible elector issued by an institute of higher education in Colorado, as defined in section 23-3.1-102(5), C.R.S.
• A valid veteran identification card issued by the U.S. department of veterans affairs veterans’ health administration with a photograph of the eligible elector.
• A valid identification card issued by a federally recognized tribal government certifying tribal membership. Verification that a voter is a resident of a group residential facility, as defined in section 1-1-104(18.5), C.R.S.
• Verification that a voter is a person committed to the department of human services and confined and eligible to register and vote shall be considered sufficient identification of such person for the purposes of section 1-2-210.5, C.R.S.
• Written correspondence from the county sheriff or his or her designee to the county clerk indicating that a voter is confined in a county jail or detention facility.

Any form of identification listed above that shows your address must show a Colorado address to qualify as an acceptable form of identification.

*Just Vote! Colorado Election Protection is a non-partisan voter assistance project and is not affiliated with or promoting any party, candidate, or ballot issue. Just Vote! Colorado is not affiliated with or responsible for the content of this piece.